Meridian
Blood Omen 2 (2002) |architects = • The Humans (main city) • The Hylden (in places) • The Sarafan (fourth timeline) |ownership = • The Sarafan (Post-Blood Omen era, fourth timeline) |status = • Intact (Post-Blood Omen era, fourth timeline) |features = • The Device • The Industrial Quarter • The Lower City • The Sarafan Keep • The Slums • The Smuggler's Den • The Upper City • The Wharves |appearances = • }} Meridian was a city in Southern Nosgoth. In the Post-Blood Omen era, Meridian was the political and industrial capital of Nosgoth, One of the finest and largest cities in Nosgoth, it was also a port city and bordered the Great Southern Sea. Much of Blood Omen 2 was set in Meridian and Nosgoth returned to its outer reaches. Location and Layout Meridian was a large walled city in southern Nosgoth, it was located south-east of Freeport and south of the Pillars of Nosgoth,Ziegsturhl, Provance and the Great Southern Lake. The city was also surrounded by many natural boundaries and was bordered to the west and south by the Great Southern Sea, to the east by a mountain range and to the north by a set of Canyons that apparently isolated Meridian from the rest of Nosgoth. Blood Omen 2 Maps at Nosgothic Realm. Although little is known about Meridian's layout prior to Blood Omen 2, it appears to have been much smaller and simpler in earlier times, with expansion presumably driven by the Glyph magic-powered 'industrial revolution' of Meridian. By the time of Blood Omen 2, the city had become much more complex and 'labyrinthine' and had grown onto a nearby peninsula and some nearby islands, with a large wall surrounding the main parts of the city. At this time, the city was divided into separate parts: *the Slums and Smuggler's Den - Set on an island (linked to the Lower City) apparently North/North-West (see notes) of the mainland Meridian peninsula and 'opposite' Meridian's 'northern' Canyons. Appeared to be older and more run-down than other parts of Meridian; populated by mainly Peasants, Thugs and Thieves. *Lower City - Situated at the tip of the Meridian peninsula, main residential area forlower class citizens and Sarafan troops. Bordered by the The Device and the Upper City, the Lower City had bridges providing access to the islands containing the Wharves, Slums and Smuggler's Den. *Upper City - Situated at the start of the Meridian peninsula and the heart of the city itself, main residential area for upper class citizens and Sarafan troops. Bordered by the Industrial Quarter, Sarafan Keep, Canyons, Lower City and Device. Nearby the bridge leading to the Slums and Smuggler's Den and the trail leading to the Eternal Prison. *the Device - A large (Hylden) edifice at the heart of the city that had lain dormant beneath the city for centuries, presumably excavated and 'built' by the Sarafan or Glyphwrights, situated on the Meridian peninsula between the Upper and Lower city areas. *Industrial Quarter - A workers area, dedicated to heavy industry and glyph magic, containing many factories and mines. Situated alongside the Sarafan Keep (and Meridian's 'eastern' mountain range) and nearby the Upper City. *the Wharves - Situated on an island (linked to the Lower City) apparently South/South-West (see notes) of the mainland Meridian peninsula, controlled a large amount or trade and seafaring pursuits, a major Sarafan stronghold (presumably due to the areas 'proftiability' and links to the Hylden City Umah: "There has been, in the past months, enormous activity at the Wharves. Warships and freighters, loading and unloading in great secrecy. The few of our people who have infiltrated the area, and returned alive, have told me that the ships all seem to take the same course out of the harbor, but we do not know their destination."//'Janos:' "It must be the Hylden City. Why else would there be such interest at this time? You must take a ship to the city at once. There, you must find and deactivate the shield, so whatever forces we can bring may come to your aid, and close the Gate for all time." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript.), but outside of the walls surrounding much of the rest of Meridian. *The Sarafan Keep - Headquarters of the Sarafan and apparent home of the Sarafan Lord. The only part of Meridian shown to have existed as far back as the battle of Meridian (and the only construction shown on early maps of the city) hence presumably the oldest part of the city. A major Sarafan fortress, backing onto Meridian's 'eastern' mountain range, alongside the Industrial Quarter. *Sommerdamm - The southern-most of four fort-settlements protecting the bridges to Meridian, Sommerdamm appeared in Nosgoth as a playable location and was the site of the vampires first incursion into the revived Meridian. Other major locations in Blood Omen 2 were explicitly identified as outside Meridian, but close-by; with the Canyons cutting through the eastern mountain range immediately to the 'North' of the city and the Eternal Prison apparently to the 'South', where the mountain range met the Great Southern Sea (see notes). The Wharves of Meridian also provided the only known access to the Hylden City, which was presumably situated somewhere westward across the Great Southern Sea. History The known history of Meridian starts nearly two hundred years after theCollapse of the Pillars of Nosgoth, by which time the city was already a base for the Hylden incursion into Nosgoth, with the Hylden Lord in the guise of the Sarafan Lord and holding power over the Human vampire hunting Sarafan. (at this time the city was shown in maps as consisting simply of the Sarafan Keep). With the rise of Kain's vampire army, the Sarafan and the Vampires clashed for many years for domination of Nosgoth, until the final battle of the war took place alongside the Sarafan Keep. In the battle, Kain was betrayed by Sebastian, who set up a Sarafan ambush that cost him the war. The vampire army was scattered by the Sarafan with the aid of their new Glyph magic Umah: "We are the Cabal, the vampire resistance. We work to undermine the Sarafan at every turn. But we are losing. With the new magic they employ, the Glyph Magic, they are able to find us and kill us. Our numbers are dwindling. Without help, we will not survive. We need you, Kain." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. and Kain himself (unable to use the power of the Soul Reaver due to the interference of the Nexus Stone held by the Sarafan Lord) was defeated by the Sarafan Lord and thrown off a cliff to his apparent death. Umah: "The Sarafan, an army of fanatical humans sworn to eradicate all vampires from the world. A new leader brought them together and, wielding a new kind of magic, deadly to our kind, was able to destroy your army and kill most of the vampires. You were defeated in mortal combat by this leader, the Sarafan Lord. But that is not the end of the story. Under the guise of protecting the land from the vampire menace, the Sarafan seized control of all of Nosgoth, and their rule is not kind. For two hundred years, the Sarafan have enslaved the humans under their iron rule, and hunted down and destroyed every vampire they could find." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Kain's unconscious body would be recovered by agents of the Cabal. With Kain's army defeated, the Sarafan triumphed in the wars and the order conquered Nosgoth and began hunting down the remaining vampires. Meridian as the base of the order (and with its secret links to the Hylden City) likely grew in status, becoming the capital city of the Sarafan Order's Nosgoth. In the two hundred years that followed, technological updates (possibly aided by some of the applications of Glyph magic) and industrialisation, resulting in the rapid growth of Meridian and it becoming a highly urbanised environment. During this time, Glyph magic saw widespread use; originally used to hunt and combat the remaining vampires, the technology was adapted to provide a number of applications and benefits to the people, such as lighting, heating and operation of machinery - the technology was even seen used in the same manner as electricity. Over time, the relationships between the humans and the Sarafan became strained in Meridian. The initial warm response faded away as Sarafan rule revealed itself to be extremely fascistic and humans found conditions diffiicult under their "iron rule"; Kain could often overhear humans expressing dissent to each other in private and more infrequently, in public, about the Sarafan rule. Dimitri: "We hate the Sarafan, we humans. The things they do, it's not right, not natural. If your kind can bring them down, I'll help you, I will." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Vendor: "Taxes are high and supplies are low, thanks to the Seraphan." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. The Vampires who had survived the genocide at the end of the wars (and were not in service to the Sarafan) had banded together to form the Cabal and organised a resistance to the Sarafan rule, but with vampires numbers greatly depleted by the war and subsequent vampire hunts, the Cabal was forced to use the support of many disaffected humans. Ultimately seeking to eliminate the Sarafan Lord and overthrow the order, The Cabal remained in Meridian,its headquarters hidden under the Blue Lady Curios shop in the Lower City. Vendor: "You’re looking for Sanctuary, then?"//'Kain:' "Correct"//'Vendor:' "It’s hidden under the Blue Lady shop in the eastern part of the district." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. Two Centuries after the battle of Meridian, with vampire numbers down to just a handful of known faces, the Cabal was forced to resurrect Kain as a perfect agent for the resistance. As Kain worked for the Cabal he explored much of Meridian, uncovering Sanctuary in the Lower City, rescuing Umah from the Sarafan Keep and stealing the Nexus Stone from the Industrial Quarter. Eventually Kain descended into the Device at the heart of the city and uncovered the Hylden conspiracy behind the Sarafan Order, killing the Mass Kain was able to destroy the Ancient Hylden weapon. After infiltrating the Wharves of Meridian, Kain made his way to the Hylden City and killed the Sarafan Lord, closing the Hylden Gate and preventing a Hylden invasion of Nosgoth. The fate of Meridian after this time remains unknown, though it seems likely Kain would return to the city to crush the remains of the Sarafan Order Kain: "Umah… What was it she said to me in that fatal moment when she took from me the Nexus Stone. How would my rule differ from that of the Sarafan Lord? If you had lived Umah, you would have learned the difference. You should have trusted me.The war was over. And yet there was another still to be fought. The cruel masters of Nosgoth, the Sarafan, now leaderless, still had to be put down. There were cities to be rebuilt, and order be restored. And a new rule, my rule, would then begin. To the victor go the spoils. At last, Nosgoth would be mine." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. or (as Umah feared) the Cabal. Meridian was still a major city and human capital into the Soul Reaver era, where it continued to boast advanced infrastructure and technology: "fresh running water, gilded monuments and numerous columned bridges were alien to visitors more accustomed to Humanity’s isolated towns built of straw and wood. More than just a living space, the city of Meridian cultivated learning at its universities, training philosophers and architects, alchemists and generals to shape the world in their image." However Meridian's comfort also bred an ideal of wiping the vampires from the face of Nosgoth - a dream which was crushed when the hordes of Kain's empire descended on the city at the fall of the Major human kingdoms and Meridian was virtually destroyed becoming a "a scar on the landscape" - its inhabitants rounded up into Blood farms and slavery. Over the years Meridian's "legendary splendour" attracted the few humans who escaped the Blood farms and slowly the city grew again, out of sight and unknown to the vampires. By the time the vampires realized, the walls of the city were rebuilt and it was just barely defensible again. With the disappearance of Kain and the Vampire civil war internal squabbles meant that the vampires were unable to raise an army and mount a serious attempt to retake the city, leaving the humans to rebuild further and almost recapture its past glories. As the vampires fell into an uneasy truce and the War for Nosgoth began, the last of Meridian's fort-settlement defenses to be rebuilt, Sommerdamm, was targeted by the vampire forces and breached. Notes *Many of the compass directions given in Blood Omen 2 are disputed or contradictory, resulting in several characters giving directions that, when matched up to maps, appear to be misleading (notably Janos' interpretation of the Eternal Prison as being 'North' Beast: "He is…listen to me. There is a place in Nosgoth, far to the north, where time means nothing, where hours and years are frozen for eternity. The Eternal Prison. The wretches imprisoned there pay for their crimes for eternity. The builder is there."//'Kain:' "The Eternal Prison. I have heard of such a place. I did not realize it was so close to Meridian. How do I reach it?"//'Beast:' "There is a tunnel leading out of the city through this room. It will take you into the Prison." Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. when it appears to be 'South' in actuality). This is further complicated by the two known maps of Blood Omen 2 ''seeming to be rotated to different orientations. *The age of Meridian is not conclusively discussed, but several factors suggest it was much smaller and simpler before the time of ''Blood Omen 2; it is mentioned on the map shown in the opening cutscene uses the Sarafan Keep and its walls to depict the entirety of Merdian (the map depicts some detail of the villages Freeport and Provance), suggesting Meridian was not much more complex at this time - The later Blood Omen 2 map shows Meridian covering a peninsula outside of the extent of the city in the earlier map, suggesting some large scale growth in the interceding years. Furthering this, the initial opening cutscene shows some minor details of the battle of Meridian, depicting it taking place in front of the Sarafan Keep, on a rocky clearing near a wooded area - the later map for Blood Omen 2 ''depicts the area in front of the Sarafan Keep as part of the urbanised Upper City, perhaps suggesting the area was yet to be built at the time of the battle. Umah's comment "let me show you the future... this is what has become of Nosgoth." suggests many cities in Nosgoth may have encountered similar industrial urbanisation '''Umah:' "Then let me show you the future. You have been asleep for two hundred years. In that time, this is what has become of Nosgoth." (Kain approaches Umah, and we see a beautiful panorama of the Slums, and some of the City). Crystal Dynamics. Blood Omen 2. (Eidos Interactive). PlayStation 2. (March 19, 2002) Transcript. *Despite being identified as the 'Capital city' of Nosgoth, Meridian is not mentioned in any previous games, either set before or after Blood Omen 2. With the supposed 'rapid growth' of Meridian it may be that the title 'capital' related being the power-base of the ruling Sarafan Order and the city did not enjoy such high status before this time. Nosgoth's background story makes the case that it was still considered the human capital until the rise of Kain's empire. *Meridian's involvement with the Vampire-Sarafan war and later involvement with the War for Nosgoth occur on different timelines - with Blood Omen 2's events taking place in the Fourth timeline and Nosgoth's taking place in the Second timeline - and so the two histories cannot be definitively reconciled. Presumably as Kain's vampire army and the revived Sarafan Order are products of the Third paradox, they cannot have met in Meridian in the Second timeline :- on the other hand as the events of the Soul Reaver era have not been subject to change due to Paradoxes, it is possible that Meridian's capture by Kain's empire at the fall of the Major human kingdoms and subsequent recapture by the Humans did occur in the Fourth timeline. Interestingly Nosgoth's second timeline background lore does link Meridian with the conception of ideas to eliminate the vampires prior to the emergence of Kain's empire and it may be that even without the benefit of the Hylden controlled Sarafan, Meridian was destined to be heavily involved in efforts to eliminate them in the Post-Blood Omen era. References Category:Blood Omen 2 Category:Blood Omen 2 locations Category:Locations Category:Nosgoth Category:Nosgoth (game) Category:Nosgoth locations Category:Settlements